Axel has a better chance of being our first choice CB rather than a DM, he's been playing as a CB on loan at Villa this season and has done very well, he's one of the first names on the team sheet.
I've thought about this but Axels passing isn't good enough. Hes a good defender and can make simple passes out from the back very much like Smalling but when asked to do it from the DM position you need someone a little more suited to the role.
We've been struggling with converted wingers playing at fullback for years and trying to shoehorn number 9 players out wide
Ndidi and Rice aren't the most expansive passers I thought? Axel seems calm enough for me under pressure - he had 62 passes with 100% accuracy in that Palace game when he played in midfield 2 years ago. I agree that most of those passes were sideways, but that's what I would want my mobile DM to do most of the time - keep it simple and pass it on to maybe Pogba or someone like Tielemans/Fernandes who are able to ping it forward quickly. We are also not converting past-it players to play in a new position as well. If the likes of Bale, Ronaldo and Matic could make the transition to a new position from a young age successfully, I think Axel might be able to do so as well.
Are they DMs though? They seem to be more of the Herrera replacement?
I would sooner 2 box to box midfielders than a DM who just sits in front of the back 4 and never moves past the half way line. We have to move away from this.
The funny thing is, I'd rather have kept Herrera for the #6 position. He has proven his worth there many times but has always ended up playing the box to box role in which he has flaws in his game.
If we intend to play the United way, then 2 box to box midfielders would suit us better. 1 covering each side of the pitch. An understanding between midfielders goes a long way to controlling games.
Pogba doesn't have the discipline to operate in a midfield two at United, but that's if he remains here of course...
Out of those options I would take Tielemans - has massive experience despite his age and his done well in his stint as Leicester. Busquets was the master at positioning and his passing is way underrated I feel. If you cannot pass well, there is no way you can be a first choice midfielder at Barcelona for so long. Can't find any clips of Axel's performance in midfield for us, but I remember he was pretty solid in that game and with another 2 years under his belt with Villa now, I am quite confident he can excel in that position.
We can't play 2 box to box together with Pogba and not expect to get overrun in defence. Most of the top teams have one midfielder who sits back and screens the defence well - Fabinho, Fernandinho, Kante for France. Having a solid DM allows the other 2 midfielders to play their game without worrying too much about what goes on behind them.
I really would prefer if we moved him on. He just doesn't want to be here.
It's all about Pogba can't do this or that. Play in a 2 man midfield or needs a DM for him to play further forward.
Most teams play with a midfield 3 now. Trying to go back to the old ways and play just 2 box-to-box like Scholes and Keane in their heyday will result in many unforseen results I feel, especially against top teams. And who are these 2 top midfielders who can play up and down the pitch with the required quality?
Never said anything about just 2 midfielders. I said I would rather have 2 box to box midfielders than a DM who doesn't go past the half way line. I would be playing 3 midfielders with the other an attacking midfielder ( playmaker).
Hmm okay, but who are those 2 top-class box to box midfielders going to be? They are going to be able to put in a hell lot of leg work as well to cover for the lack of a DM. I can't think of any other top team now who plays with that same system too.
Aw, mate, I'm not the manager. I suppose they are quite a few midfielders who I would like to do this Job.
Why? Virtually every team plays with a designated holding player.
Yes, you're probably right. Only threw deep-lying playmaker in there because his agent described him as the 'next Scholes'.
That sounds very Gerrard and lampard to me. If someone isn't designated to hold then you'll have a real organisational mess. When we played with Keane and scholes, Keane almost always held shape.
Garner
Its a really tough call. I was very excited to see McTominay in that role against Cardiff as I thought he would excel there.
If Rodri is possible, that would be great. Not sure if anyone in their right mind would want to leave Atletico Madrid for us, unfortunately.
With Herrera in the team I would've said more of a DLP, since Herrera had a lot of energy and good ball-winning abilities, now that he's gone it depends on who plays as the third midfielder next to Pogba.
If three midfield were given a specific role, I'd like to see Pogba playing as deep playing a midfielder with true DM midfielder helping out the defence and all-around midfielder on another side I think would be more like Modric type. I think DLP is his best position as he can unlock defence from deep and physically stronger to hold on balls and win Ariel battle. That's a balanced and well functioning midfield
I think he's best when he has the freedom to run and dribble into the final third to create chaos. A good deep-lying playmaker can control the tempo of the game and orchestrate those around him, although Pogba has great passing ability I don't think he fits that mould. Also, as our most advanced midfielder his low defensive work-rate would be less of a liability.
If we want him to be Lampard type, sure. Pogba can pass well but he doesn’t keep it so simple, he couldn’t care about passing through ball, breaking the line with his pass, he didn’t do that stuff much, his first intention is to dribble, holding on to ball against pressing or shot, sometime he find space to exploit with his passing, this is not exactly what I want from Pogba in advanced role, I don’t like to see him making a run to the box and he is capable of breaking through ball and though line, lofted passes regularly.
Worryingly so. Either we'll stick with Matic and he'll continue to be terrible or Ole has faith in Mctominay maybe although he has spoken of him of a more box to box player.
Ole may has some faith on Fred.
